


Long Time Traveller

by fangirl_squee



Series: Revenant [2]
Category: The Thrilling Adventure Hour
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, F/M, Ghost!Frank
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 13:48:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17561573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_squee/pseuds/fangirl_squee
Summary: Bobo gives Sadie an antique flask. It has a rather interesting person attached.





	Long Time Traveller

**Author's Note:**

> part two!! This is a series of unconnected fics, so you don't need to have read the previous one to understand this one.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks to maddie, for betaing.

 

“Sadie!” said Bob, opening his arms wide.

 

“Bobo darling,” said Sadie, kissing him on the cheek.

 

“Before we head to dinner, I’ve got something for you.”

 

“Oh Bobo you shouldn’t have!”

 

“Of course I should’ve,” said Bobo. “Now, it ain’t nothing mega fancy, but I thought, y’know, my Sadie’s a special babe, she deserves a special gift.”

 

He held out an old-looking silver flask around which he had clumsily tied a blue ribbon. Sadie could feel the dent and scratches in the flask as she held it, as well as… something else. It was almost as though someone were standing beside her, a comforting hand on her arm.

 

But of course there was no one there. No one but Bobo, looking up at her with a hopeful expression.

 

“Bobo it’s wonderful,” said Sadie, making sure to smile. “I love it.”

 

“I knew you would babe,” said Bobo, with a laugh.

 

“I’ll just put this in my room, I don’t want to lose it when we go out.” Sadie patted him on the arm. “Give me a moment, won’t you?”

 

She whirled away towards the stairs before he could answer. She had found that this was the best tactic to take with most of the men that came into her life, to go ahead and do what she liked, rather than waiting for them to disagree.

 

Sadie carefully placed the flask next to her liquor bottles, studying it for a moment before she left the room. Now that she was looking at it properly, it almost looked as though it had runes carved into it. Most curious.

 

She felt her thoughts drift back to the flask during the night, through dull dinner conversation and not-quite-strong-enough drinks. She signaled to the waiter for a refill. Perhaps she should have brought the flask with her after all.

 

She neatly extracted herself from Bobo’s arms at the end of the night, riding the elevator to her apartment in silence. Perhaps Donna or her police-man-officer beau would have some idea about the runes on it.

 

But first, and most importantly, she would have a drink.

 

The first bottle she picked up was empty. This happened from time to time so Sadie reached for the second bottle only to find it was empty as well, although it had almost certainly been three-quarters full when she had left.

 

There was also the case of the overturned nightstand, rumpled bedclothes, and upturned lamp. This, Sadie was certain, had not been the case when she had left either.

 

Sadie hummed. “I’ve got a real mystery on my hands. Alright, whoever you are, come up with your hands up!”

 

Her apartment was silent.

 

“Listen here,” said Sadie, “there’s not use hiding from me. I know very well someone is here, and I demand you come out this instant and apologise to these bottles.” Silence. “I warn you, I’ve been told I’m unnaturally stubborn, and you have absolutely ravaged my liquor cabinet, for which I demand answers.”

 

There was a pause. “You… want me to apologise to the bottles?” said a muffled voice.

 

“Ah ha!” said Sadie, “I _ knew _ you were here. And yes, these bottles are innocent victims of your dreadful crime, whoever you are. Show yourself!”

 

“Well, alright,” said the voice, “but remember, you did ask for it.”

 

There was a cool feeling at her back. Sadie spun around to see steam flowing from the flask Bobo had given her- no, not steam, it was more opaque, twisting itself together into the shape of a slightly-transparent man.

 

Sadie took a step back. “Oh!” Then she took a step forward. “How curious.”

 

She picked up the flask, inhaling sharply as the feeling she had had earlier returned, only now the warm presence was beside her instead.

 

“Ah, sorry,” said the man, “and sorry about the liquor. I didn’t think you’d notice.”

 

“Well, now you know not to do it again, Mr…?”

 

“Frank Doyle, Miss…?”

 

“Sadie Parker,” said Sadie, holding her hand out to the man, “charmed. Or I hope to be.”

 

“I’ll certainly do what I can,” said Frank, an edge of awe to his voice.

 

His moustache felt a little like touching the outside of a cool glass when he kissed her knuckles. Sadie was entirely sure she didn’t mind that in the slightest.

 

“Now Mr Doyle-”

 

“Frank, please,” said Frank, “I feel as though we’re a little beyond formalities.”

 

“Frank then,” said Sadie, smiling, “however did you fit inside such a small flask? You must be awfully flexible.”

 

“Being a ghost helps quite a bit,” said Frank, “Since we’re trading questions-”

 

“Are we?”

 

“We are now,” said Frank, “I suppose I’m curious as to why  _ you _ don’t seem too surprised at seeing a ghost.”

 

“My grandparents were ghosts for a number of years,” said Sadie, “although you are much more surprising than they were. I’m also dating a medium, at present.”

 

Frank’s expression soured. “Bobo Brubaker is as much of a medium as that empty bottle, and even that’s unfair to the bottle.”

 

Sadie sighed. “Yes, the bottle’s been through enough, don’t you think darling?”

 

“You’re right, I entirely apologise to this, and to bottles everywhere for the comparison,” said Frank. “But I’m afraid I’d rather not apologise to Bobo.”

 

“I’ll not ask you to,” said Sadie. She tapped one of her immaculately painted nails on the empty bottle. “I think perhaps this requires a drink. What shall I have them send up?”

 

“Whatever you preference is,” said Frank, “as long as there’s a lot of it.”

 

Sadie beamed, delighted. “Why, that’s my favourite kind!”

 

When she returned from her call to the front desk, her room had been tidied, the furniture set back in its rightful positions.

 

“Oh Frank, you don’t need to do all that,” said Sadie.

 

“Well, it was my doing, and you were entirely undeserving of it,” said Frank, “I’m afraid I let my temper at Bobo get the better of me. I’m sorry to speak so ill of someone you’re close to, but I do find him to be absolutely unbearable.”

 

Sadie sighed. “He can be a little that way.”

 

Frank poured her a drink from the remains of her supply. “Oh Frank, thank you- oh! But you have nothing for yourself!”

 

“Don’t feel too badly, I started quite before you,” said Frank, “besides, as your flask it feels entirely to-purpose that I should keep your glass filled.”

 

“I don’t want you to feel beholden to me,” said Sadie. “If you’re tied to the flask I could see about freeing you if you’d like?”

 

Frank shrugged. “I don’t have anywhere else in particular to be.”

 

“But you could travel the world!” said Sadie, thinking of her own someday-plans. “Egypt! Australia! Hawaii!”

 

“I don’t care too much for traveling,” said Frank, “Especially not when I’ve landed in such nice company.”

 

“And if  _ I _ wished to travel?”

 

“Then I would travel with you,” said Frank.

 

Sadie felt a smile spread across her face.

 

There was a knock at the door, indicating a liquor arrival, and Sadie quickly directed the delivery.

 

“You havin a party in here Miss Parker?”

 

“A very private one,” said Sadie, signing the delivery slip and being sure to clip a significant tip to the clipboard, “Thank you.”

 

“Thank  _ you _ Miss Parker. Have a good rest of your evenin’!”

 

Sadie could see Frank appearing from the flask out of the corner of her eye as she hustled the delivery men to the door. “I’m quite sure that I will.”

 

The lock clicked shut behind her. Frank was already pouring them both a large drink. Sadie felt a warmth bubble up inside her - not the supernatural warmth she had felt at touching the flask, but something else. It was similar to how she had felt as a very young woman, sneaking out of her parents home to run off to parties, or how she felt now when she gave strong directions before Bobo could get a word in edgewise.

 

“Thank you darling,” said Sadie, accepting the drink, “Now - where have you always wanted to go?”

 

Frank hummed. “I think, perhaps, that I was always looking for somewhere not unlike here.”

 

“This hotel room?”

 

“No,” said Frank softly, floating up slightly so he was looking into her eyes.

 

Sadie smiled. “Well. That’s quite a short journey.”

 

“Not necessarily,” said Frank, “Perhaps I could show you?”

 

Sadie leaned closer. “Perhaps you should. I’ve always wanted to travel.”

  
  


When Bobo called for her the next day, he was informed that Miss Parker has already departed for a European tour. They were not quite sure when she would be back, but considering the amount of trunks of liquor and clothing she had taken with her, she was not expected back for quite some time.

 

The only things of note that had been left in her rooms was a globe covered in push pins, and several dozen empty bottles.

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi: mariusperkins on most places


End file.
